Kendrick Lamar denies banning mobile phones from his gigs

The rapper recently made the decision to deny professional photographers access to the photo pit during his European tour, instead opting to keep the shows exclusive to his personal photographers and provide selected images to media outlets through his record label Top Dawg.

However, this new policy led many to believe that the Grammy award winner was in addition banning his fans from documenting his concerts on their mobile phones, which Kendrick has now confirmed is not the case via a statement released by his representatives to Pitchfork.

This practice has been championed by many other artists in the music industry, including Beyonce and The Killers, who only allow live access to their own photography team. While The White Stripes’ Jack White has made attempts to limit the use of camera-phones at his gigs, with his management suggesting “you’ll enjoy looking up from your gadgets for a little while and experience music and our shared love of it IN PERSON,” in a statement released in preparation for his U.K. tour.

Kendrick’s own U.K. tour concludes at London’s Wembley Stadium on 20 February, and he is nominated for best international male artist at the Brit Awards which will take place the next evening. He will be competing against Childish Gambino, DJ Khaled, Beck and Drake – who took home the prize at last year’s ceremony in London.

Earlier today (13Feb18) the To Pimp A Butterfly record-maker was also announced as a headliner of the U.K.’s Reading and Leeds music festival, alongside rock bands Kings of Leon and Fall Out Boy.